Last week, the U.S. House passed a non-binding resolution sponsored by the liberal Democrat leadership opposing President Bush's efforts for a troop surge to bring stability to Iraq.  The resolution (H.Con.Res.63) will do nothing but demoralize our troops who are on the front lines in Iraq and give aid and comfort to Al Qaeda and other terrorists.

The House Democrat resolution claims to support the troops, however its backers refuse to protect the money our troops must have while in harm's way.  The liberal House leadership refused to allow a House vote on any other bill or amendment, including legislation offered by Congressman Sam Johnson, R-Texas, that opposes any effort to "cut off or restrict" funding for our military.  What's more, this same House leadership has said they will now place restrictions on how funds are spent in Iraq, thus potentially limiting funding for troops in the field.  These actions are harmful and just plain wrong.

Last week, during the House debate on the Democrat resolution, I spoke twice on the House floor to oppose it.  As I pointed out, any American life lost in the defense of our nation is one too many.  Yet, we must not turn from our task of defeating terrorism before the job is done.  If we withdraw prematurely, the terrorists will have an unchecked sanctuary from which they can launch future attacks to kill more innocent Americans, similar to what existed in Afghanistan prior to our toppling the Taliban regime in Operation Enduring Freedom. 

To abandon our fight against the terrorists is to revert to a policy that allowed nearly three decades of escalating violence and the deaths of thousands.  America's war against islamofacist terror actually began in 1979 with Iran's seizure of 63 American hostages.  On October 23, 1983, a terror attack on the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon killed 241 American servicemen and injured 60 others.  On February 26, 1993, Islamic terrorists bombed the garage of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000.  On June 25, 1996, the bombing of the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia killed 20 U.S. airmen and injured 372. On June 7, 1998, the bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Kenya killed 213 people and injured 5,000.  On the same day, June 7, 1998, the terrorists also bombed the U.S. embassy in neighboring Tanzania, killing 11 people and injuring 68.  On October 12, 2000, a terror attack on the U.S.S. Cole in Yemen killed 17 sailors and injured 39 others.  And as we all remember, on that fateful day of September 11, 2001, 3,000 innocent civilians were killed in New York City, Arlington, Virginia, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

It is imperative that we defeat this enemy whose sole desire is to kill Americans anywhere, any way, they can.  Today the theater is Iraq, but if we retreat from this war, as some who support the Iraq resolution have advocated, history has already shown us that we will be forced to fight the terrorists here at home in our cities and towns.  Either way, this war will be fought. 

Some have tried to claim that the war in Iraq has nothing to do with the war on terrorism.  That's pure nonsense.  Al Qaeda, itself, has made clear statements that winning Iraq is the first step in its plan to spread terror throughout the Middle East and the world.  The only thing that can defeat America in this war is the lack of will.  And may God help us if we lose the will to defend this great nation against terrorism.